Written Answers. - Tourism Product Development.

Wednesday, 25 October 2000

281.Ms Coughlan
asked the
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
whether any type of grant aid is available for caravan parks.
[23562/00]

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Dr. McDaid):As the Deputy may be aware, I have no direct responsibility for the funding of specific tourism products.

Under the current national development plan, support for tourism product development will be made available under the tourism measure within the regional operational programmes, which are expected to be approved shortly by the European Commission. Bord Fáilte Éireann is responsible for the implementation of three of the sub-measures, that is, major daytime attractions and clusters, special interest activities and tourism and the environment, and for the administration of the £100 million of Exchequer and EU moneys allocated to them. The programme complements provide that project proposals will be assessed by Bord Fáilte Éireann and that the decision-making, in terms of grant approval, will fall to an independent product management board.

It is not envisaged that tourist accommodation projects will be a priority for grant assistance under the regional operational programmes.